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2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

P. G. McGRATH. MACHINE FOR CASTING BALLS.

Patented June 30, 1896..

ANDREW lGRMMPl P' iOYQ-UTIIEWASKINGTOKDC (No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2. P.0. McGRATH. MACHINE FOR CASTING BALLS.

No. 563,206.. Patented June 30, 1896.

42 mm v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PATRICK O. MCGRATH, OF RUTLAND, VERMONT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOHARTWELL A. DALRYMPLE, OF SAME PLACE.

MACHINE FOR CASTING BALLS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 563,206, dated June 30,1896.

Application filed March 7, 1895- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PATRICK 0. Mo GRATH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Rutland, in the county of Rutland and State of Vermont, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Machines for CastingBalls, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of this invention is to provide a multiplex machine for themanufacture, by casting, of the balls or spheres now so commonly used inball-bearings; but while this is the primary object of my invention, yetIwish to be understood at the outset as realizing the fact that theinvention is applicable for casting other objects than balls, and fromother materials than metal. However, for the purposes of this case, Iwill illustrate and de scribe my invention as adapted for the casting ofmetal balls.

In my invention I make use of a pedestal upon which is affixed a table,the said table having anumber, eight, more or less, molds, in each ofwhich molds a number of balls may be cast simultaneously. In order toprovide a substantially equable temperature in the molds, I connect thesaid molds with a cooling-chamber erected in the pedestal and providedwith any suitable mediums for effecting the circulation or renewal ofthe cooling fluid or agent, as may be desired.

Having thus stated the principle of my invention, I will proceed now todescribe the best mode in which I have contemplated applying thatprinciple, and then will particularly point out and distinctly claim thepart, improvement, or combination which I claim as my invention.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, in the severalfigures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 isaperspective view. Fig. 2 is a vertical section. Fig. 3 is a horizontalsection of the stand-pipe or tank and one of the pairs of molds. Fig. 4shows in perspective one half of one of the molds disassembled. Fig. 5is a perspective view of one form of knuckle.

The pedestal a may be mounted upon any suitable base b, and thispedestal and its base may be castings. Upon the top of the pedestalthere is secured a table 0. This table Serial No. 540,870. (No model.)

is hollow and fluid-tight, and it is composed of the two members 0' c(herein shown as parts of the stand-pipe, tank, or reservoir,) whichwill be hereinafter more fully described. Upon this table are mountedany desirable number of pairs of casting-molds. The various molds beingalike, a description of one will sufiice for all. Each pair of moldsconsists of two complemental fiat plates of metal cl; each having ahollow arm e, by which it may be pivoted to the table, a bolt f beingused for this purpose, and the hollow arms communicating with the hollowtable. In the adjacent faces of these mold-plates halves of the gate g,sprues h, and air-vents iare made. Openings j are made in the plates,and these openings receive the removable matrices 76, each matrix beingsecured in its cavity by a screw Z, so that, as the several matrices are\defaced they may be readily removed and renewed. A handle on is securedto each of these arms, and a hook or other ordinary fastening device 0%may be applied to these handles to connect the two halves of the moldsfor casting purposes. A pipe 07. opens into each arm 6 and extendsthence to a knuckle n, which knuckle is fitted to a stationarycomplement thereof of, the two being united by a rigid clamp a having acentering-point n at one end and a set-screw n at the other end, thelatter having a j am-nut a, or other suitable fastening.

member is connected with a pipe c, which opens into a stand-pipe,reservoir, or tank 19,

tal and extending up above the table 0. This stand-pipe or tankconstitutes a chamber or reservoir for the reception and movement of themold cooling or heating agent. Tle knuckles are arranged in verticalalinement with the pivot-bolts f, so as to permit the swinging open ofthe molds without distorting the pipes.

In order to secure circulation of the fluid through the hollow arms, Iduplicate the pipe connections and knuckles above the table, q being apipe extending between the hollow arm and the movable knuckle-joint q,and (1 being a pipe connecting the fixed knuckle- The knuckle is hollowand the stationary erected upon the base b and within the pedesjoint qwith the stand-pipe. The joint (1 is IOO secured to a circular bracket7', which is mounted upon the stand-pipe, and the two joints are heldtogether by the bolt f, which is used as the pivot for the mold-arm, aspring f being interposed between the head of the bolt and the top ofthe fixed joint in order to put a tension or pressure upon the subjacentparts sufficient to allow them to turn and yet hold the partsfluid-tight, the bolts being tapped in the lower member 0 of the table.

Instead of making both of the members of the molds pivotally movable, Imay secure one of the members rigidly upon the table, and open and closethe molds by the pivotal movement of the other member.

The stand-pipe or tank p is supplied with any suitable cooling orheating agent, under pressure or otherwise, and in order to secure theremoval from the mold-boxes of such overheated agent, I may employ apump 25,- which is connected with the bottom of the tank by means of asuction-pipe t, in which is arranged a check-valve 25 and a stop-valve25 The pump is connected also with the upper portion of the tank bymeans of a pipe 1 a is the supply-pipe provided with the check-valve uand stop-valve a 1) is the pump-shaft provided with the fast and loosepulleys v r for driving the pump.

The stand-pipe is supplied with a pressuregage w, thermometer 2v,safety-valve 10 and water-gage 10 A blow-01f as may be applied to thestandpipe. (See Fig. 2.)

For purposes of keeping the temperatureequalizing agent in the reservoiror standpipe at the proper temperature I may introduce through pipe ysteam or any other heating or other agent appropriate to this end.

The various pipes may be of rigid or flexible material, as foundadvisable or convenient.

The operation is essentially as follows: Bearing in mind the fact thatthe machine is designed for making the so-called chilled cast-ironballs,as well as other castings of any other kind of metal or metalswhich can be made in iron molds shaped to suit the re quirement of thetrade, the molds are provided with appropriate matrices and assembledsubstantially as indicated in Fig. 1, and the molten metal introducedthrough the gate, whence it flows through the sprues into the variousmatrices, the hollow arm meanwhile being supplied with a cooling orheating agent or fluid. The molds must be kept from chilling the ballstoo suddenly, for otherwise they would not fill with metal, and theballs therefore would be worthless. On the other hand, if the molds wereused continuously without some heat-reducing 0r temperature-equalizin gagent they would become so hot that the castings would be improperlychilled, and in time the molds would become so, hot that the moltenmetal would weld to the molds and thus render them useless. Nowin orderto keep the molds at an even temperature, the cooling or heating agentis introduced, and this temperature-equalizing agent may be kept at aproper temperature by circulation thereof or by periodical exhaustionand renewal thereof through the stand-pipe by the means described, or byany other suitable means. In any case, provision is to be made formaintaining the molds at the proper temperature for effecting thedesired character of castings.

As already indicated, the invention is applicable to casting otherobjects than balls, and for casting objects not only of iron but also ofother metals and metallic compounds and other substances.

While I have shown and described what I believe to be the bestembodiment of my invention, yet I do not wish to be understood aslimiting my invention. to the precise details set forth, and with thisunderstanding I will proceed now to state my claims.

lVhat I claim is 1. In a casting-machine, a pedestal, a hollow tablethereon, a series of partible molds pivoted to said table, hollow armsapplied to the said molds and communicating with the table, a reservoirerected within the pedestal to contain a temperature-equalizing agentand in open communication with the table, pipes connecting the saidreservoir and hollow arms for the circulation of such agent, and

knuckles interposed in said pipes in line with the pivots of the molds,substantially as described.

2. In a casting-machine, a pedestal, a table thereon, a series ofpartible molds pivoted to said table, hollow arms applied to the saidmolds, a reservoir erected within the pedestal to contain atemperature-equalizing agent, pipes arranged above and below the tableand connecting the said reservoir and hollow arms for the circulation ofsuch agent, and knuckles interposed in said pipes in line with thepivots of the molds, substantially as described.

3. In a casting-machine, the combination of a pedestal, a table securedthereto, a series of partible molds pivoted to said table and providedwith hollow arms, a reservoir erected within said pedestal to contain anagent forequalizing the temperature of the molds, pipes connecting thesaid reservoir and hollow arms above and below the table, knucklesarranged in said pipes in the line of the pivots of the molds, and apump connected with the aforesaid reservoir and adapted to charge anddischarge the said agent relatively to the hollow arms, substantially asdescribed.

4. In a casting-machine a stand-pipe for containinga circulating fluidunder pressure and supplied with temperature and pressure indicators, awater-gage and a safetywalve, combined with a hollow table communicatingwith said stand-pipe, hollow-back molds pivoted to said table andcommunicating therewith, flexible pipes arranged above and below saidtable and connecting the molds with the stand-pipe, and means to efiectthe circulation of the fluid through the stand-pipe, table, molds andpipes, substantially as described.

5. In a casting-machine, the pedestal, a hollow table, a series ofpartible molds having removable and interchangeable matrices arrangedtherein, hollow arms applied to said molds and pivoted to andcommunicating with the hollow table, a reservoir erected within thepedestal to contain a temperature-equalizing agent and in opencommunication with the table, pipes connecting the said reservoir andhollow arms for the circulation of such agent, and knuckles interposedin said pipes in line with the pivots of the hollow arms, substantiallyas described.

6. In a casting-machine,a pedestal, a hollow table formed of the members0 and 0 a series of partible molds comprising mold -plates and adjacenthollow arms, which arms communicate with the hollow table, a reservoirerected within said pedestal and forming an integral or connected partof the members 0 and c of the table and containing a temperature-equalizing agent, pipes connecting the said reservoir and hollowarms above and below the table for the circulation of such agent, andknuckles interposed in said pipes in line with the pivots of the molds,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 2d day of March,A. D. 1895. PATRICK O. MCGRATH. \Vitnesses M. J. FRANCISCO, EDWARDLYSTON.

